Parents do not share the burden of blame equally during counseling. The father is often seen by teenagers as the cause for any problems in the house, and by the mother as the source for her own problems.

There are various psychological reasons for this phenomenon, and much has been written about it.

Take the accusations seriously, because at least some of them may be true. However, it would be wise to verify the client's arguments. The goal in the first stage should be to arrive at the truth. If this is impossible, then all unverifiable issues should be set aside.

At that point, it may be possible to move the patient to a more responsible, mature, and respectable way of dealing with issues.